Sydney Swans maul Adelaide Crows to record their first win of AFL season

Steve Larkin

Midfielder Luke Parker kicked four goals in a best-afield display as Sydney crushed Adelaide by 63 points on Saturday to bank their first win of the season.

Boom recruit Lance Franklin also found form in the Swans' victory at Adelaide Oval.

Franklin booted four goals while teammate Harry Cunningham kicked three against the Crows, who remain winless after three games - and all defeats have been by heavy margins. Parker was a standout and collected 26 possessions to form a dominant midfield with Josh Kennedy (28 disposals) and Jarrad McVeigh, who was also reported for rough conduct.

McVeigh collected Adelaide's Matthew Jaensch high in a first quarter controlled by the Swans, who skipped to a 6.2 (38) to 2.2 (14) lead at the first change.

Parker kicked two of his goals in the opening quarter and Franklin also scored to set the tone for his best performance in Sydney colours.

Both clubs kicked three goals in an even second stanza but Adelaide lost club champion Scott Thompson, who was substituted in the 18th minute of the term after picking up a corked thigh.

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The Crows sorely missed his grunt around the packs and found themselves overly reliant on Richard Douglas (25 disposals) and co-captains Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield (23 possessions) for midfield drive.

Adelaide, who fell 29 points behind early in the second term, launched a third-term comeback and crept to within two points midway through the third quarter.

But the Swans emphatically answered the challenge, kicking the next four goals, and when Parker slotted his fourth major late in the quarter, Sydney established a defining 25-point advantage at three quarter-time.

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McVeigh then booted the first major of the last term after a remarkable mark - the first of seven unanswered goals as Adelaide limply folded.

■ The Western Bulldogs let a 37-point advantage slip before booting the final goal to score a two-point upset win over Richmond at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Bulldogs notched their first win of the season with 15.10 (100) to Richmond's 15.8 (98) after a thrilling final term in which the Tigers kicked six goals to the Bulldogs' four and snatched the lead late in the game.

Finals hopefuls Richmond have slipped to a 1-2 win-loss record.

Teenager Jack Macrae and Matthew Boyd were dominant for the Bulldogs, and Stewart Crameri (two goals and 18 disposals) and Liam Jones (three goals) were also key players for the home side.

Jack Riewoldt recovered from a woeful first half to boot four goals for the Tigers, including two in a rollercoaster final term. Skipper Trent Cotchin was a standout for Richmond in midfield, in front of a crowd of 31,724.

The Bulldogs had kicked clear 5.4 (34) to 2.4 (16) in the opening term, with Crameri in outstanding touch, and kicked four goals to Richmond's one to stretch their advantage to 37 points at half-time, 9.5 (59) to 3.4 (22).

The home side held a 34-point break at the 23-minute mark of the third term before the Tigers rallied with three goals in five minutes to close the gap to 15 points at three-quarter time, 11.9 (75) to 9.6 (60).

The Tigers had booted five consecutive majors and the Bulldogs' lead had been cut to three points, but the home side responded with goals to Daniel Giansiracusa and Jones to move out to a 16-point advantage at the 12-minute mark.

Ty Vickery's second goal and a booming 55-metre effort from ruckman Ben Griffiths again cut the margin to three points.

A goal to Crameri was matched by Richmond's Shaun Grigg, before Riewoldt booted his fourth to put the Tigers in front after 26 minutes.

Giansiracusa kicked the Bulldogs' 15th goal with less than two minutes remaining as his side regained the lead and held on with some spirited defence.